The Main Critique Michelle Obama Has About White House Parties

Michelle Obama needs no introduction. As a lawyer and wife to the 44th President of the United States, she has made her mark on American culture as a class act and rightful fashion icon. Now that Obamas are enjoying life outside of the political limelight, the former First Lady is revealing what her time was like living in The White House. 

She sat down with Oprah Winfrey on her 2020 Vision: Your Life In Focus tour to discuss a range of topics. From the future of politics to her relationship with husband Barack, there was one subject that surely got audience members rolling — social life in the Nation's Capital. "If there's a party, people usually over-drink because they're nervous because they don't know what to expect," she shared, per People. "The drinks at the White House are strong, so we've seen some people falling out, and I'm not going to mention any names."

The White House welcomed many A-list guests under the Obama administration – from Beyoncé to Ryan Reynolds, who Sasha Obama famously had a starstruck moment with at the 2016 State Dinner. Michelle's revelations followed the release of her memoir "Becoming," which provided a glimpse into the famed First Lady's journey. It went on to spend over a year on the New York Times bestseller list, and is heralded as one of the best-selling memoirs ever, says W Magazine. She published its successor, "The Light We Carry," in 2022, providing advice on relationships, self-improvement, and success.

Barack Obama served two unforgettable terms in the White House. Michelle has spoken openly about the highs and lows of marriage, especially one as high profile as hers. She admitted on her "Becoming" book tour that she had no zero interest in stepping up to become the First Lady — especially because she didn't think America would ever elect a Black President. But in a historic surprise, Barack Obama won the 2008 Presidential Election.

Michelle tirelessly supported her husband for decades, admitting that it wasn't easy. She famously revealed in a roundtable chat on RevoltTV that she "couldn't stand" her husband for ten years of their marriage. This was due to having to raise their two young daughters, Sasha and Malia, where Michelle had to sacrifice many of her own career goals to support Barack's bid for Senate and then Presidency.

As First Lady, many of her main initiatives championed the success of young women, children, and minority communities. When it was time to exit The White House, Michelle recalls sobbing upon the inauguration of Donald Trump. On her podcast "Michelle Obama: The Light," she said: "[I] cried for 30 minutes straight, uncontrollable sobbing, because that's how much we were holding it together for eight years without really being able to show it all."

Since she's left the White House, there's been much more to Obama than her flawless fashion transformation. Following up on her 2019 book of the same name, the "Becoming" documentary debuted on Netflix in 2020. The doc is just one project out of many to be produced by the Obamas' "Higher Ground Productions," after striking a multi-year deal with Netflix in 2018. "Becoming" reveals details about Michelle's life before, during, and after her political journey.

"You know, it's just all different, and it's different forever," Obama said in the doc, referencing her life post-White House. "So it's not getting back on track. But it's creating my next track ... I'm figuring out what I want to do, what I care about."

Despite leaving politics, the Harvard Law School alum is still a staunch advocate for important issues such as voter access and women's rights. Her "When We All Vote" initiative aims to increase voter registration and make it accessible to historically disadvantaged groups. Chatting with Oprah about their family's impact, Michelle made it clear: "The House didn't define us. It's the values that defined us."